PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds has quickly become one of the most popular games on Xbox One, attracting more than 1 million players in its first 48 hours on the console. The title is available for $30 via the Xbox Game Preview program, but those who are interested in picking it up may want to consider purchasing it from Newegg, as a new deal will net you an additional game for free.
For a limited time, you can get a free copy of the critically acclaimed Titanfall 2 when you purchase PUBG on Newegg (via Wario64). The battle royale game costs its normal early access price of $30, making this an enticing deal as you can get another great shooter for no additional charge. However, the offer will only be available until Thursday, December 21, so you'd better act fast if you hope to take advantage of it.
PUBG made its Xbox One debut last week, on December 12. It recently received its first update on the console, which addressed a number of bugs and made "first pass" improvements to the game's visuals and performance. PUBG is also one of the many titles that are enhanced on Xbox One X. If you're interested in picking up the new console, you can get a free copy of PUBG with a new Xbox One X for a limited time through the holidays.
GameSpot's Best Games of 2017 has finally kicked off, so join us as we unveil what we thought were the 10 best games released this year. Before we unveil our Game of the Year, in at the coveted #2 spot is Persona 5, which is available on the PlayStation 4. Read on to see why we chose it as one of the best for 2017.
At every turn, Persona 5 gives you something to marvel at. Its combat is fluid and satisfying, its menus, UI, and artstyle are beautiful, and its soundtrack is stuffed with jazz-infused earworms. But not content with simply being 2017's most stylish game, Persona 5 also carries with it a strong message about fighting for what's right.
By day, you're a student in Tokyo, balancing your studies with building friendships. But by night, you're the leader of the Phantom Thieves, an idealistic group of vigilantes who are fed up with the injustice and pressures of modern-day society, determined to reform it by any means necessary. These means involve slipping into an alternate reality known as the Metaverse, where the deepest, darkest desires of the corrupt are given form as dungeon-like Palaces. By stealing the treasure that lies within these, the Phantom Thieves can confront and shine a light on the wrongs of society from within.
Gone are the endless floors of procedurally generated dungeons from previous Persona games, and now infiltrating Persona 5's bespoke Palaces is akin to plotting a heist. There are puzzles to solve, obstacles to surmount, and Shadows lurking around every corner to fight. The dungeon-crawling requires forethought and preparation, and when you finally pull off that heist, you really feel a huge sense of accomplishment.
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Using your Persona, a physical manifestation of your personality, you attack enemies with elemental abilities. Identifying and hitting their weaknesses not only nets you a free turn, but allows you to pass the baton to a party member, greatly increasing their attack rate and recovery. Battles can become a puzzle to solve in their own right; by thinking ahead and identifying these weak points, you can string up a series of increasingly devastating attacks and watch as Shadows crumble before you. Once you get the hang of it, it becomes so satisfying to run rings around your enemies before they can even get a look-in that you'll be actively searching for random battles.
Not only is the battle system fluid and rewarding, but Persona 5 manages to create an incredible synergy between dungeon-crawling and its social simulator. Some obstacles in the Metaverse require you to solve a puzzle in the real world first, and this bleeding effect between the two worlds gives even the most mundane, everyday tasks purpose. In typical Persona fare, building relationships is also key to success. As your party members' trust in you grows, new abilities are unlocked in the Metaverse. By the end of Persona 5's eighty-plus hours, you will feel so attached to these characters because you've spent time with them, learned of their fears and hopes, all in service of developing the relationships from mere acquaintances to best friends who would take a bullet for each other. When the game ends, you'll be genuinely sad to say goodbye to them.
Persona 5 is a game about fighting wrongs; an idealistic, uplifting call to not stand idly by while others suffer.
Persona 5 certainly has the potential to be overwhelming; it's stuffed to the brim with inward-looking questions about our own moral accountability in a world that feels like it's ever slipping into darkness. There's the complex, interconnected gameplay mechanics, and then it throws high-level concepts like Jungian theories of the collective unconscious into the mix. But don't let any of that put you off: it's testament to the writing and localisation teams that they're able to ensure that everyone, from die-hard fans to series newcomers, are on the same page.
Persona 5 is a game about fighting wrongs; an idealistic, uplifting call to not stand idly by while others suffer. It deals with complex, difficult issues, but does so by balancing these with moments of hope and levity. In 2017, it's a game that isn't afraid to make a statement. It's the year's most stylish game, but its beauty is far from skin-deep.
Mario caught on in the '80s and continues to thrive more than 30 years after his debut in part because the games he headlines are masterfully designed, but also because Nintendo knows how to make you fall in love with the worlds he inhabits. Super Mario Odyssey is a delight for these exact same reasons, and though it blatantly leans into nostalgia at times, its high marks go above and beyond cute nods to the past.
Odyssey's dozen-plus kingdoms are ornately crafted, with adorable details and bite-sized challenges seamlessly interwoven throughout. And the range of themes therein go a long way to keep things interesting from start to finish. New Donk City is both a kooky metropolis with oddballs to gawk at, and a playground made up of cars with trampoline roofs and slingshot-action pylons. Luncheon Kingdom is a candy-coated hideaway with a colorful exterior that belies its lava-drenched dangers. And who can forget taking Mario to the moon and jumping around in low gravity--shout out to the cute space-helmet wearing pup who's always down for a game of low-g fetch.
Mario runs, jumps, and gleefully hollers his way through Odyssey's environments with effortless grace. Granted, Nintendo seemingly "perfected" 3D platforming controls years if not decades ago, but rather than rest on its laurels from game to game, it manages to dial-in physics and finely tune controls just a little bit more for each new outing. Odyssey's inclusion of Cappy adds yet another tool to Mario's repertoire, and with it he can extend his leaps just a bit further than before. Odyssey's tightly designed platforming challenges don't force you to master the use of Cappy, but with the game's collectible Power Moons lurking in hard-to-reach spots, you're rewarded for developing these skills early on.
Cappy is useful for so much more, however, as he lets you possess the bodies of 24 different types of enemies. This feat replaces Mario's typical costume-based power-ups--don't worry, there are plenty of cosmetic costumes to acquire if you so desire--and this makes the already diverse game even more surprising as you venture from one world to the next, taking control of enemies new and familiar alike. This concept alone makes Odyssey a fascinating experience. Every enemy you possess changes your perspective on the world around you, and feeds into the game's ever-present frivolity.
Odyssey is, in effect, a massive playground that encourages you to test the limits of Mario's abilities and your own ingenuity in the face of myriad options. With throwback outfits and retro Mario levels inserted into otherwise 3D spaces, it no doubt appeals most to people with a fondness for Mario's (and Nintendo's) past. But Odyssey is the type of game that feels like a no-brainer for anyone who enjoys the act of play. It's what we at GameSpot call an "essential" game. It not only finds success in playing fast and loose with one of gaming's most recognizable mascots, it succeeds at reaffirming the reasons why Mario is held in such high regard at all.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the latest game to receive enhancements on Xbox One X. Developer CD Projekt Red has deployed a new update for the critically acclaimed RPG, adding 4K support and other visual and performance improvements tailored for Microsoft's new console.
The update is available to install now for everyone who already owns a copy of Witcher 3. As CD Projekt Red previously detailed, the game now features two visual fidelity options: 4K Mode and Performance Mode. In the former, the game runs at 4K resolution (or supersampled for those without a 4K display) at 30 FPS. The latter, meanwhile, features dynamic resolution scaling from 1080p up to 4K while "targeting" 60 FPS.
Both 4K and Performance Modes also support HDR. To switch between the two, go into the Options menu and choose Display. From there, go into the Advanced settings section and you'll be able to toggle between 4K and Performance Modes. You can read more about today's update on Witcher 3's official website.
The Xbox One X patch for Witcher 3 is similar to the one CD Projekt Red rolled out earlier this year for PS4 Pro. That likewise added 4K support and made a "slight boost to performance." The studio says that an additional patch will be released for PS4 Pro "in the near future" to add HDR support and make "a number of technical tweaks improving the overall experience" on Sony's 4K console.
Pokemon Go will soon get an update to its AR mode. Called AR+, the enhanced version uses Apple's ARKit augmented reality technology and will include special new features and exclusive bonuses.
Like Pokemon Go's existing AR mode, AR+ will be available when catching Pokemon and adds depth perception and scaling improvements. Pokemon will appear closer to their canonical size--so a Snorlax will appear much larger in the real-world environment than, say, an Oddish. On top of that, Pokemon will appear in more fixed locations, meaning you can move closer to, away from, and around them as if they were occupying a specific space nearby.
If you opt to use AR+, you'll also see gameplay benefits. Pokemon have awareness, meaning quick movement can startle them and cause them to flee. If you manage to get close enough without spooking it, you'll get the "expert handler" bonus, which nets you extra XP and stardust upon catching the Pokemon.
AR+ is compatible with the iPhone 6s and above, fifth generation iPads, and all iPad Pro models. It won't replace the regular AR mode and will instead be a separate option.
Microsoft has announced this week's lineup of Xbox One and Xbox 360 deals for the United States. The list of offers is not all that extensive or impressive, though there are some good deals to be had depending on what you are looking for.
Moving to Xbox 360, Street Fighter IV is down to $14, while Super Street Fighter IV can be had for only $12. Additionally, Ultra Street Fighter IV is discounted to $7.50. A bunch of Transformers titles are on sale as well, including Transformers: War for Cybertron ($7.50), Transformers: Dark of the Moon ($25), Transformers: Fall of Cybertron ($10), and Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark ($14).
Go to Major Nelson's blog to see a full rundown of what's on sale this week across Xbox One and Xbox 360, with prices for specific regions and more.
The Last Jedi might push Star Wars in a bold new direction, but it doesn't ignore the series' past. While fans will be uncovering the Easter eggs, throwbacks, and homages in the latest Star Wars adventure for years to come, here are the coolest things that we've found so far. Warning: spoilers ahead!
1. Hardware Wars
Remember that shot of a spaceship that turns out to be an iron in the First Order's laundry room? That's not just a silly joke. It's a tribute to Ernie Fosselius' 1978 short film Hardware Wars, one of the earliest Star Wars parodies. Hardware Wars opens with a space duel between a toaster and an iron, before going on to tell a brief story about heroes Fluke Starbucker, Ham Salad, and Princess Ann-Droid.
2. Luke's Compass
Luke didn't bring much with him to Ahch-To, but among the knick-knacks scattered on his shelf is a compass that might look familiar to video game fans. Luke stole that device from an Imperial stronghold in Star Wars Battlefront II, and it's implied that the compass helped him locate the original Jedi temple.
3. Carrie Fisher's Dog
Before her passing, Carrie Fisher didn't go anywhere without her French bulldog, Gary. In tribute to Fisher, director Rian Johnson gave Gary a cameo in The Last Jedi, where he's been reimagined as a companion for one of Canto Bight's well-off aliens. See that pointy-eared creature over on the left? That's him (and don't worry: according to first-hand accounts, Gary loved the movie).
4. Poe's Necklace
It's hard to see, but in The Last Jedi Poe Dameron wears a chain around his neck that holds his mother's wedding ring. Poe's parents, Shara Bey and Kes Dameron, appeared in Greg Rucka and Marco Checchetto's Shattered Empire comic series. They were part of the team that beat the Empire at Endor, and helped Han Solo, Leia, and Luke found the New Republic.
5. Other Accessories
Poe isn't the only Last Jedi character rocking some stylish space jewelry. According to The Last Jedi: The Visual Dictionary, Luke wears a fragment of a Sith lightsaber crystal around his neck, while Supreme Leader Snoke's ring is decked out with obsidian taken from Darth Vader's castle on Mustafar.
6. Colored Milk
While in exile, Luke survives on a diet of fish and green milk, which he gets fresh-squeezed from Ahch-To's grotesque thala-sirens. The drink is a callback to the blue milk served at the Skywalker moisture farm on Tatooine, although that beverage was harvested from yak-like banthas and not busty sea mammals.
7. Justin Theroux
Mulholland Drive and The Leftovers star Justin Theroux appears in The Last Jedi as the stylish Master Codebreaker, but don't panic if you didn't recognize him. He's only on screen for a couple of seconds, and he's practically unrecognizable under that thin, suave moustache.
8. Mouse Droid
While infiltrating Snoke's flagship, the Supremacy, BB-8 goes undercover by hiding under a box. As he rolls through the Supremacy's hallways, he makes the same chirps and warbles as one of the Empire's famous MSE-6, or "mouse," droids, even though he's about four times bigger.
9. Gold Dice
The gold dice that Luke finds in the Millennium Falcon (and later hands to Leia) are more than just kitschy decorations. According to The Force Awakens: The Visual Dictionary, those are the dice that Han used to win the Falcon from Lando in a game of Corellian Spike, a variant of the popular card game sabaac. The dice also appeared in A New Hope and The Force Awakens, and should feature prominently in Solo, too.
10. Twin Suns
As Luke succumbs to fatigue after his battle with Kylo Ren and right before he ascends into the Force, he looks out to sea, where two suns hang in the sky, recalling Luke's introduction way back in the first Star Wars film.
11. Gareth Edwards
The Rogue One director returns to the Star Wars universe in The Last Jedi, playing one of the last remaining Resistance fighters during the battle on Crait. You can see him in the trenches standing next to Resistance Trench Sergeant "Salty" (i.e. the "It's salt" guy).
12. Leia's Message
It's hardly an Easter egg, but it's still a reference. When R2-D2 convinces Luke to help train Rey (and maybe save the Resistance in the process), he replays Leia's iconic cry for help from Episode IV. That's the same recording that got Luke involved in these Star Wars all the way back in 1977. His life has never been the same.
13. Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Joseph Gordon-Levitt has appeared in all of director Rian Johnson's films, and The Last Jedi is no exception. In the latest Star Wars outing, Gordon-Levitt voices Slowen Lo, one of the guests at Canto Bight. His character's name is an Easter egg, too: it's a reference to the Beastie Boys song "Slow and Low," following in the tradition of The Force Awakens' Ello Asty ("Hello Nasty") and Ilco Munica ("Ill Communication").
14. Lifting Rocks
While training Rey in the ways of the Jedi, Luke sarcastically mentions that the Force is about more than lifting rocks. Clearly, Luke still harbors some resentment towards Master Yoda, who made Luke stack rocks with the Force while they trained on Dagobah. Of course, Rey ends up lifting a pile of stones during The Last Jedi's final moments, making boulder-levitation an unofficial Jedi rite of passage--whether Luke likes it or not.
15. Luke's X-Wing
Not only is Luke's X-Wing submerged under the water at Ahch-To, recalling how his ship sunk in Yoda's swamp during The Empire Strikes Back, but the metallic door that guards Luke's hut on his island getaway is made out of one of the starfighter's wings--or at least it was, until Chewbacca decided to knock it in.
16. The Throne Room
The stand-off between Rey, Kylo Ren, and Supreme Leader Snoke has The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi's fingerprints all over it. The scene in which Snoke uses the Force to taunt Rey right before his apprentice strikes him down is very similar to the climactic showdown in Episode VI, while Kylo's attempts to recruit Rey during the aftermath echo Vader's pleas to Luke at the end of Episode V.
17. Don't Join
Benicio del Toro's shifty hacker isn't named during The Last Jedi, but the end credits and promotional materials refer to him as DJ. That's short for the character's mantra, "Don't join." In case that's not clear enough, DJ also has "don't join" engraved on a metal plate attached to his cap, although you might have trouble reading the inscription: the slogan is written in Aurebesh, Star Wars' fictional alphabet.
18. Rebel Scum
Finn's proud declaration of allegiance after beating Captain Phasma is a throwback to Return of the Jedi, when Han Solo takes offense at being called "Rebel scum" by an Imperial officer. Since then, the epithet has become a Star Wars catchphrase, showing up in spin-off media like Dark Forces and Battlefront II.
19. Double Duty
In The Last Jedi, Mark Hamill didn't just steal the show as Luke Skywalker. The veteran voice actor also donned a motion capture suit to play Dobbu Scay, who Lucasfilm's Pablo Hidalgo confirmed is the gremlin-like creature who mistakes BB-8 for a slot machine.
20. Never Tell Me The Odds
When the few remaining Resistance fighters decide to delve into Crait's cave system in order to escape the First Order's army, C-3PO tells them the exact odds of the plan working--and they're not good. That's one of C-3PO's most annoying habits throughout the Star Wars saga, and in the Last Jedi, Poe Dameron appreciates it about as much as Han Solo did when the droid made a similar observation in The Empire Strikes Back (which is to say, not at all).
21. Kylo Ren's Helmet
In The Last Jedi, Kylo Ren rejects his grandfather's legacy and decides to follow his own path. To mark the occasion, he smashes his helmet to pieces. The end result recalls Darth Vader's mangled headpiece in The Force Awakens, where it's one of Kylo Ren's most prized possessions.
22. A Threat Decades In The Making
It's impossible to track ships through hyperspace in the Star Wars universe--until now. While the hyperspace tracking tech that drives The Last Jedi's plot is brand new technology, the bad guys have been working on it for a while. While searching for the Death Star plans in Rogue One, Jyn Erso finds something called "Hyperspace Tracking" in the Empire's files, meaning that the project's been in development for at least 34 years.
Destiny 2's Curse of Osiris expansion launched a couple weeks ago, and players have already delved deep into it and uncovered a lot of cool Easter eggs and mysteries. One of those mysteries involved the Lost Prophecy quests, and now we know what happens when you complete all of them: you get a sweet Exotic Ghost shell.
Once you complete all of Curse of Osiris's campaign missions, all of Mercury's normal Adventures, and one Heroic Adventure on Mercury, Brother Vance will give you a Lost Prophecy: Verse 1 item. Collecting enough items (for Verse 1, that's a Concentrated Radiolarian Culture, composed of ten Radiolarian Cultures) allows you to complete the quest, get a Tablet, and redeem that Tablet for a Legendary weapon from the Forge. You can get more info on how to unlock the Forge here, and you can see all the weapons in the gallery below (ordered by Verse number).
There are 10 different numbered Verses to complete, although you can't finish them all at once. Vance only offers three per week, with the selection changing on the weekly reset. There's also an additional eleventh Verse, which awards a powerful shotgun upon completion. It's unclear how exactly you get this quest, but it appears that you must complete Verse 10 at the very least. Vance does not give out Verse quests in order, and from our experience, it is not necessary to complete all ten before getting the shotgun quest. Some players suggest that you have to finish half of the Verses, including Verse 10, to get the quest.
Finally, when all is said and done and when you complete all eleven Verses, a special emblem and really cool Exotic Ghost shell will drop. The shell has a nice selection of Mercury-focused perks, as well. Check it out:
Since 1977, the Star Wars movies have given people across the world iconic characters, stories, and a world to fall in love with. However, not everything to come out of that franchise is gold. There are quite a few questionable, and frankly dumb, moments from the series, including the prequels, the special editions, and the dreaded Star Wars Holiday Special.
Sifting through everything Star Wars, we pieced together 18 things from all the movies, TV series, and books that we can't help but cringe at from decades of content that have to be discussed. Here are the worst moments from Star Wars.
Note: If you haven't seen The Last Jedi, don't worry. There's no mention of anything from the new movie.
Introduced in 1999's The Phantom Menace, Jar Jar Binks was the supposed comedic relief of the prequels. He was silly, bumbling, and annoying. Binks, whose amphibious species lived in the waters of Naboo, eventually rose to serve as a representative of Naboo on the Galactic Senate. Luckily, for viewers, the baby-talking Gungan's screentime was drastically reduced for Episodes II and III, but there are interesting theories on the internet that Binks was actually a Sith Lord, influencing the decisions of the Jedi and Padme. It may sound crazy, but there are a few videos that give this theory some credibility.
Anakin Created C-3PO
The prequels had this strange obsession for trying to give origin stories to characters from the original trilogy. None of which were more dumbfounding then when it was revealed that Anakin Skywalker created C-3PO on Tattoine. It messes a bit with continuity, as Vader--in the original trilogy--doesn't know or recognize the droid, but that is forgivable. What's really bizarre is that this child had been building a protocol droid from scraps on a desert planet while living life as a slave to junk dealer Watto. How did Anakin smuggle all these parts out without Watto knowing? Also, how does a kid build a protocol droid capable of communicating in over 7 million languages?
Anakin's Dialogue
Many folks who dislike The Phantom Menace tend pin a lot of the film's lack of quality on Jacob Lloyd, who played a young Anakin Skywalker, among a laundry list of other complaints. While I'm not going sit here and tell you that young Lloyd is a master thespian, I will say that most of the fault lays on the shoulders of Phantom Menace writer George Lucas, who has no idea how children, people in love, or most humans in general communicate with each other. In their first meeting, Anakin awkwardly discusses angels--which apparently exist in this galaxy. Later, Anakin explains Jedis and podracing, all while putting together plan to free himself and his mother from slavery. The conversation jumps, with no real flow, and it's all centered around Anakin's dialogue, which was seemingly written for someone much older.
Midichlorians
For those who have forgotten (I envy you), midichlorians were introduced in the Phantom Menace. They are microscopic, intelligent beings that live in your blood stream and allow some people, depending on their midichlorian level, to access the Force. When I think about midichlorians, I always think back to a Patton Oswalt bit about the Star Wars prequels, where the comedian says, "I don't give a s*** where the stuff I love comes from. I just love the stuff I love." Why can't the Force can't be a mystical thing that needs no explanation?
Everything About Anakin And Padme's Relationship, Especially The Dialogue
As previously mentioned, George Lucas had a bit of trouble writing dialogue for a young Anakin Skywalker, and it didn't get any better when he got older, especially when it came to his relationship with Padme. During Attack of the Clones, Anakin and Padme shared an afternoon in a field on Naboo and had the weirdest conversation about politics and creating a dictatorship, which sounds like the worst first date ever. While first dates and new relationships are full of awkwardness, this relationship takes it to a whole new level, which is a total bummer because you can tell Natalie Portman is doing the best she can with some really rough dialogue and direction.
Boba Fett Fanservice
Don't get me wrong, I love Boba Fett, especially after reading Tales of the Bounty Hunters as a kid, but the character's inclusion in Attack of the Clones felt forced and unnecessary. The film also tried to jam pack a whole origin story for the character while surrounded by a story of a clone army being built, along with the previously mentioned "believable" budding romance between Anakin and Padme, which I can't stop talking about for some reason. While young Boba Fett is the worst, it did pave way for the character's appearance on the animated series The Clone Wars, and he's pretty awesome on that series, so at least there's a silver lining.
The Death Of Mace Windu
Samuel Jackson made Mace Windu his character. The Jedi master was tough, didn't take any guff from anyone, and one of the more entertaining aspects of the prequels, even when he was just sitting in a chair, discussing politics. He was one bad dude. However, he met his fate by way of force lightning from the hands of Darth Sidious, who shocked then threw him out a window. This totally tough character was killed off in a pretty humiliating way, which came out of left field. This wasn't an epic battle, it was a decrepit man, laying down, shocking him.
Anakin's Turn To The Dark Side
While discussing moments that irked us with other GameSpot employees, Anakin's turn to the dark side came up a lot. To become a Sith Lord and Palpatine's right-hand, Darth Vader must have gone through a traumatic and terrifying childhood, right? Not so much. Yes, Anakin was a slave on Tattooine. Yes, his mother was murdered by Tuskens. However, in the grand scheme of things, which includes being involved in a relationship, on the verge of fatherhood all while training to be a Jedi master, Anakin's turn doesn't make sense. He's a spoiled kid who decides to not only turn to the Dark Side when things do not go his way, but his final act before going bad is killing a whole room of children. That feels like a giant leap.
The First Canonical Appearance Of Darth Vader
At the end of Revenge of the Sith, we caught our first glimpse of Darth Vader, and it was unintentionally hilarious. Understandably, we all know there are a lot of parallels between Vader and Frankenstein's monster, but that doesn't mean Vader has to completely embody the Universal character while freeing himself from his shackles. Then, there's Vader's "iconic" scream of "No," which is ironic because that's what the vast majority of us said after we saw that scene.
Greedo Shoots First
Back in 1997, the original Star Wars trilogy was rereleased in theaters, with a few changes. New special effects were added, as well as a bunch of things that fans weren't too pleased with, including Greedo shooting first in A New Hope. Originally, Han shot Greedo while sitting at the table, and it established the character as quite the renegade, being able to read into a situation as well as someone who doesn't take guff from anyone else. The change is pointless. Yes, Greedo now shoots first, but Han still kills him. More importantly, why does he have such bad aim from three feet away?
Han Steps On Jabba's Tail
One of the newly added scenes in A New Hope has Han talking to Jabba the Hutt. The scene itself is fine and helps add to the story of Jabba wanting Han Solo as a prize for his palace. However, because of where Han is walking, Lucasfilm added a little "movie magic" and had everyone's favorite scoundrel stepping on Jabba's tail, while the Hutt made a silly face. It feels completely out of place and the audience's suspension of disbelief would still be in tact if Han had never stepped on his tail.
Weird CGI Additions To The Special Editions
Some of the weirdest additions to the special editions were things like random CG rocks being added to scenes; things that added nothing to the film. Why does R2D2 need that extra rock? Normally, this would be something we'd completely ignore or something we never would have noticed, but once it's pointed out, it's impossible to unsee it.
Chewbacca Doesn't Get A Medal
When the Special Edition of A New Hope was released, there was one change most fans wanted to see: Chewbacca getting his well-deserved medal during the ceremony at the end of the film. Alas, that change didn't happen, possibly because the budget ran dry after all those CGI rocks and dewbacks. Where's the justice for Chewie? He's just as important to the battle as either Han or Luke.
The First 10 Minutes Of The Holiday Special
In 1978, the Star Wars Holiday Special hit television screens across the country, cashing in on the popularity of A New Hope. If you've ever watched it or tried to watch it, then you know the opening Life Day segment is near impossible to get through. It follows a household where the audience gets to experience a day in the life of a Wookie. The family chats with eachother in their native tongue, without any subtitles, and a young Wookie watches a weird holographic circus in his living room. The whole section is a travesty.
The Rest Of The Holiday Special
Then, there's rest of the Holiday Special, and while it does introduce the world to everyone's favorite bounty hunter, Boba Fett, this TV movie feels far more disconnected from the Star Wars Universe than connected. It features singing. In fact, there's a lot of singing, including a song from Jefferson Starship and Golden Girls's Bea Arthur. As previously mentioned, there's also so much of the little Wookie, who watches way too much TV. There's a reason this only aired once.
"Jedi Rock's" Replacing "Lapti Nek"
In Jabba's palace, during Return of the Jedi, there was a song called "Lapti Nek," but in the special edition of the film, it was replaced with the CG-heavy "Jedi Rock's." The two-minute performance mixed original footage with brand new stuff, like a backup band playing the song, while the lead singer got way too close to the camera. The song doesn't fit in this universe, and the whole scene is incredibly cringe-worthy.
Hayden Christensen Replaces Sebastian Shaw
At the end of Return of the Jedi, Luke Skywalker--celebrating winning the war while on the moon of Endor--looked off an saw the Force ghosts of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, and Anakin Skywalker--who was played by Sebastian Shaw in the scene. However, the Special Edition version of the film did something absurd. It replaced Shaw with Hayden Christensen, who played Anakin in Episodes II and III. The change made no sense.
Expanded Universe No Longer Canonical
Finally, one of the worst things about Star Wars is a double-edged sword. When Disney bought Lucasfilm, the expanded universe was no longer considered canon. That means Knights of the Old Republic, all of Timothy Zahn's books, and the comics from Dark Horse were no longer part of the larger Star Wars story. However, because of that decision, this means Lucasfilm can tell all new stories without the restrictions of decades of other SW-related properties. In addition, Marvel Comics began publishing some great Star Wars books. But it's still a bummer to think that Shadows of the Empire or Han Solo and Leia's twins were wiped from continuity.
While its player figures may be low, Boss Key continues to support its hero shooter LawBreakers on PlayStation 4 and PC. As part of a new event called "Sleigh the Holidays," LawBreakers is being marked down by 50 percent, bringing its price to just $15.
The deal is good on Steam starting December 21 at 10 AM PT and running through the same time on January 4. On PS4, the shooter is currently half-off and will continue to be through 10 AM PT on January 2, but only in North America.
Additionally, LawBreakers is offering double XP for two weeks from December 21 at 1 1 AM PT through January 4 at the same time. Check out the image above to see a rundown of the game's "Sleigh the Holidays" campaign.
The Legend of Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma has confirmed that his team has begun work on a new entry in the long-running and critically acclaimed series. According to Game Informer, Aonuma shared this update in the new Breath of the Wild artbook, Master Works.
The fact that a new game is in development is all we have to go on right now. There is no word on if this a new entry for mobile or console, or any other details for that matter. That Nintendo would produce a new Zelda title is of course expected, given that it is one of the company's biggest, best-known, and best-selling franchises.
As Game Informer explains, development on Breath of the Wild began right after Skyward Sword launched in 2011. So it appears Nintendo is taking a similar approach this time. Game Informer chatted with Zelda creator Shigeru Miyamoto at E3 this year, and the legendary designer talked about how Nintendo wants to release Zelda games faster.
In other Zelda news, Breath of the Wild's newest expansion, Champions' Ballad, launched earlier this month. It adds new story content, along with more weapons and items. For more, check out GameSpot's video review here.
By Anonymous on Dec 20, 2017 05:31 am Bridge Constructor Portal stays true to Valve's original themes with gravity puzzles, cake, killer robots, and low survival rates.
PUBG has taken the gaming world by storm since its release on PC back in March, but it wasn't the first Battle Royale game to hit the market. Lichdom: Battlemage developer Xaviant Games launched its own Battle Royale game, The Culling, on Steam Early Access a year before PUBG came out. But whereas PUBG has exploded in popularity, The Culling hasn't, and now Xaviant has announced plans to end support for the title.
In a blog post, Xaviant's direct of operations, Josh Van Veld, said it is no longer focusing on The Culling but instead a new project. As such, Xaviant is not planning any future updates for The Culling. However, the game's servers will stay online "for the foreseeable future." The Culling is available on PC, as well as Xbox One through the Game Preview program.
Van Veld went on to say in his blog post that when Xaviant started development on The Culling in May 2015, the battle royale genre was "barely a blip on the radar" for most gamers. "Even our early internal play tests told us we had something special on our hands," Van Veld said. "While there were hundreds of great PvP games out there, The Culling exhibited a special intensity that immediately hooked us."
He added that Xaviant feels a sense of pride for helping grow the battle royale genre, even if its own game didn't light up the market in the way that PUBG has.
"While we're excited to be working on something new, it's also bittersweet to be moving on," Van Veld said, noting that Xaviant only has 20 employees. "The Culling has been a wonderful experience for us and so much of that is thanks to our passionate community of players. We got to know a great many of you through various channels and we watched on the edge of our seats as you organized tournaments, streamed yourselves seeking glory, and assembled videos that told your stories."
As for what's next for Xaviant, Van Veld said it's too early to talk specifics. He did, however, acknowledge that the studio will try to "apply all of the lessons we learned (both good and bad) from The Culling to make something very special and just as dear to our hearts."
Like PUBG and Fornite: Battle Royale, The Culling is a battle royale game where players fight to the death until only one remains standing. The game has a smaller scale than PUBG or Fornite, as it's only 16 players duking it out.
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Bridge Constructor Portal stays true to Valve's original themes with gravity puzzles, cake, killer robots, and low survival rates.
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